39-year-old mother dead after falling out of vehicle near Bandera

Shelly Marie Reigel, 39, died after falling out of a car on Northeast Drive, about seven miles southeast of Bandera. Her mother has set up a GoFundMe for her.

Shelly Marie Reigel, 39, died after falling out of a car on Northeast Drive, about seven miles southeast of Bandera. Her mother has set up a GoFundMe for her.

Photo: GoFundMe Screengrab

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Shelly Marie Reigel, 39, died after falling out of a car on Northeast Drive, about seven miles southeast of Bandera. Her mother has set up a GoFundMe for her.

Shelly Marie Reigel, 39, died after falling out of a car on Northeast Drive, about seven miles southeast of Bandera. Her mother has set up a GoFundMe for her.

Photo: GoFundMe Screengrab

39-year-old mother dead after falling out of vehicle near Bandera

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Shelly Marie Reigel, a 39-year-old mother of four and recent Texas transplant, died Tuesday night after falling out of a vehicle near Bandera and sustaining a critical head injury, officials said.

She was sitting in the passenger seat of a 2006 Dodge traveling east on Northeast Drive, according to Jason Reyes, public information officer for the Texas Department of Public Safety. After her fall, she was taken to University Hospital in San Antonio where she later died.

The department is continuing to investigate the incident, Reyes said. Officials have not yet determined whether the vehicle was moving at the time, and were not able to say whether any doors or windows were open as the vehicle was moving.

Reigel worked at Boulderdash Cabin and RV Park as well as at TJ's at The Old Forge restaurant in Bandera, where she was cherished for her positive energy, TJ's General Manager and Executive Chef Zachary Poteat said.

"She was super positive," Poteat said. "Everybody has their problems in life, but unless you knew Shelly personally, you would never know that she was having a bad day. Words can't explain her personality. She definitely made every day the best she could, for herself and everybody around her."

She had only been doing part-time work there as a server and bartender, but Poteat said her absence has been very pronounced since her death.

"Everybody's going to miss her," Poteat said. "The restaurant industry, it gets very hectic, but she was always smiling and laughing everything off."

Reigel had recently moved to Texas from Wisconsin and was loving her new job, her mother said in a GoFundMe. Her children "were her life," her mother said. The campaign was set up to raise funds for an upcoming memorial service.

"Shelly was a smart, funny, loving and caring person. She was always the life of the party and very witty" her mother wrote in the GoFundMe. She later added, "Any of your support would be very appreciated."

The Department of Public Safety reminded drivers to minimize distractions, avoid driving while fatigued, avoid driving after consuming alcohol, obey traffic control devices and always wear a seat belt.